Argentine black and white tegu (Salvator merianae) morphometrics and gastrointestinal contents, Florida, 2016-2021

The dataset contains the gastrointestinal contents of 275 Argentine black and white tegus (Salvator merianae) collected between 2016 and 2021 from two geographically isolated populations in Florida: one in Miami-Dade County, established around 2011, and another in Charlotte County, established in 2018. Dietary analysis revealed a broad spectrum of consumed items, including vertebrates, invertebrates, and plant matter. These items spanned 12 taxonomic classes, 63 orders, and 126 families, representing a diverse assemblage of native, invasive, and agriculturally important species.

In addition to dietary data, comprehensive morphometric measurements were recorded for each individual, including sex, body mass (g), snout-vent length (cm), tail length (cm), tail condition (intact or regenerated), total length (cm), fat mass (g), and derived variables calculated from these metrics.

Data are organized across three linked CSV files, each connected by a unique tegu identifier: 1) tegu_diet_individuals – individual-level morphometric and metadata; 2) tegu_diet_dietcategories – categorized dietary items per individual; and 3) tegu_diet_MEM spatial and ecological metrics derived from Moran’s Eigenvector Maps.